My Father's Viera
by Vieraheart15
Summary: Balthier discovers he has a half Viera sister, and she arouses memories Balthier had long forgotten about a very special Viera from his past. Mild Balthier/Fran. Cid/OC.
1. Prologue

My Father's Viera

**This is about Balthier and a Viera who helped turn him into who he became. When Balthier returns to the family manor, he discovers a young half-Vieran girl named Marisa, and finds out she's really his half-sister. He begins having memories of the Viera Aeranidya, an associate of Dr. Cid's who used to take care of him after his mother died. This takes place in between The Eternal Question and Viera Actress, so Myko has been born, but she's very little.**

**Square Enix owns FFXII.**

**Prologue**

**120-some years ago, in Eruyt Village…**

The young kit Jote was getting very scared of the continual flashing. She was sure it was evil. Aeranidya had stolen yet another pack from a Hume and was playing with something she had heard the Hume call a "Kahmara." Jote was sure the evil device with its blinding flash had stolen the soul of her baby sister Fran.

Sylva was not pleased with Aeranidya. The young Viera was obsessed with Humes. She stole their things all the time. Then she'd do strange things with the objects she found. She didn't mind the wild flying disc on a string called a go-go, or whatever, but the kahmara was terrifying the other Viera kits. Sylva didn't like it herself.

"Mommy! Niddy is playing with that thing again! She's trying to steal my soul! She already stole Fran's soul!" Jote yelled.

"I don't think that device steals souls, but it is very disturbing. Aeranidya! Get over here!" Sylva cried. When she told a Viera to do something, they did it. She was leader of Eruyt Village and was also known to be incredibly wise.

Niddy walked out from her hiding place behind a tree and went up to Sylva, scared. Sylva was scary when somebody made her unhappy. Jote stuck her tongue out at Niddy.

"You're really gonna get it now!" The leader's young daughter said before she ran off.

"What have I told you about that kahmara?" Sylva asked Niddy, narrowing her eyes.

"It's called a _camera_. And it takes pictures without having to draw them with pencils or paper. Where Jote got the idea that it steals souls is beyond me, but…" Niddy began.

"THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION! I'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE TO GET RID OF IT!!"

"I don't know why Humes fascinate me so. I don't want to get rid of this camera. It is the most intriguing Hume invention I've ever seen."

"Aeranidya, it is wrong to steal, and we are not to have any contact with Humes. We are meant to live peacefully with the Mother Wood. She provides all we need. To want more is perverted and wrong." Sylva said in her normal tone.

"I do love the Wood, but I feel so drawn to Humes. It's their creative spirit! They create so much. I want to build things too!"

Sylva hissed in disgust. "You want to build things? You would rather act as a Hume than listen to the leaves rustling, the wind speaking. The Wood created us to love her."

"Perhaps I should leave the Wood. Become as a Hume."

"The Reena-Kaana will most likely devour you before you can leave. It is their job, to prevent Viera from leaving. At least they believe so. I fear for Fran and Jote's lives. My kits shouldn't have to grow up in a Wood where they are always afraid of being eaten by intelligent dogs."

"I will leave. That convinced me. Humes have no reason to fear the Reena. I will be as they are. Perhaps I will one day even find love."

"You are but a kit, Aeranidya. Perhaps… perhaps you are correct though. Perhaps you are meant to walk with the Humes. You've certainly been nothing but a nuisance as a Viera. I wish you luck. I hope the Reena do not find you." Sylva said. She walked off to find Jote.

Aeranidya was a very determined Viera. And she made it out of the Wood alive. The only problem was where to go from there.


	2. Dreams

My Father's Viera

**Dreams**

Balthier was very uncomfortable. He had awoken in a cold sweat again. At least this time he hadn't screamed and awoken Fran. She was still asleep, probably dreaming of treasure. Or of Myko. Neither of them had seen her since they had left her two years ago. For her own good. It would be impossible to raise a child and be sky pirates at the same time. Too dangerous.

Balthier didn't remember much of the dream, even though he kept having it. He did remember there was something about a Viera, but he didn't know if it was Fran or just another Viera. He had seen many Viera.

Fran stirred. She had always been a light sleeper, being a Viera. Viera had to stay alert in the Wood or they'd get eaten. They had to be light sleepers.

"Mmmf… Mjrn, I've told you not to jump on the bed while I'm sleeping." Fran muttered, but she didn't wake up, she just rolled over. Balthier was relieved. Fran would often attack out of instinct when someone woke her up. It was a Viera defense. Balthier reached out and stroked his partner's furry ears. Fran began purring. Even if she woke up to this she wouldn't attack. Viera liked having their ears stroked.

Fran woke up at her usual time and Balthier told her about the dream again. This was bothering her too.

"My mother used to say that if it's the same thing over and over, it must mean something. I believe her, even though Jote never did. Jote doesn't believe anything the Wood doesn't tell her."

"I wonder if there is anything that could help this. My father had all kinds of medical books at home. You know, in Archades. Maybe he had something on sleep remedies. Or some way to stop this. I'm with Jote. It's probably just stress making me have this dream. Dreams don't mean anything."

"You want to go back there?" Fran asked.

"Yes. While we're there, you can go to the teachers and give them a little lesson about Viera. Remember how angry you were about all the inaccurate information in those textbooks?"

"Viera are not hermaphrodites. Humes may not need to know, though. It may cause much unpleasantness."

"And I'm sure you don't want to see the stuffed Viera at the entrance to the Academy, if they still have her."

"I do not know if this is a good idea. A doctor could find you some sleep remedies. And I know of a few ways to release stress."

"Is it safe?"

"I do not mean it in that sense. Herbal remedies work rather well most of the time. Tea, perhaps."

"I still think it would be better if I looked through the manor. It's mine now. There may be a few things I would like to keep. There shouldn't be any trouble getting in. It could become a sort of hideaway for us."

Fran didn't know if it sounded like a good idea. She knew Balthier had left for a reason, and she didn't think he had wanted to go to Archades again. Even though Larsa was Emperor now.

"I would follow you to the ends of Ivalice. Just know that you may find something you do not like. That seems to happen to us often." The Viera said.


	3. The Injured Viera

My Father's Viera

**I'm going to alternate between Aeranidya's past and Balthier's present in this, just to make that clear.**

**About 100 years after Aeranidya left the Wood…**

Dr. Cidolfus Demen Bunansa had never seen a live Viera. And he had never expected to see one the way he found her: bloody and beaten, barely alive, in a gutter. He could not let the creature die like this. Viera were not meant to die like that. He gently scooped the half-conscious bunny-person into his arms and took her into his home. His wife had died a few years back, leaving him only his son Ffamran Mid Bunansa. Ffamran was a brilliant boy, but he was very lonely.

The Viera's wounds had to be treated or she would die. Cid removed the tattered remains of her clothing. Somebody had abused her, probably attempting to have their way with her. She was too weak to put up much of a fight, even though she was afraid. She had not had good experiences with Humes during the last hundred years.

"I'm not going to hurt you, okay? How did this happen?" Cid asked. The Viera didn't answer. Cid separated the Viera's legs to see if she had any other injuries on them and found out something interesting: The textbooks were wrong about Viera. They were clearly not all hermaphrodites that just looked female. This was definitely a true female.

"Well what do you know? You're a girl. I always thought Viera were genderless."

"As you can clearly see, we are not. Go ahead. I cannot resist. I am weakened." The Viera choked out.

"I am not going to do anything to you. I already told you I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to dress your wounds and everything. How did this happen?"

"How do you think? Humes and a Bangaa! They were scared off before they could finish me off, thankfully, but they were trying to kill me. Viera do not belong in cities they said. They said they'd let me go if I 'serviced' them. If I refused, they'd subdue me, do it anyhow and then kill me. There were five of them."

"I have never met a live Viera. I've seen the textbooks though. Drawings mostly. Nobody knows too much about your race. We don't even know how you reproduce."

"You should. We do it the same way you Humes do."

"You mean to say there are _male_ Viera?"

"Of course. They don't live with the females. We rarely see them. There are reasons for that, reasons I shall tell you some other time. I am tired."

"Yes. It's best if you rested. Do you have anywhere to go?"

"No. I have no home."

"Then stay with me and my son. Ffamran would love having you around. He'd be very interested in a real live Viera."

The bunny woman smiled. "Perhaps I was wrong about Humes. I will consider it."

"Do you have a name?"

"Aeranidya."

"Is that all?"

"It is longer than most Vieran names. Is that a bad thing among Humes? Call me Niddy if you like."

"No. Humes have longer names. Nothing is wrong with Aeranidya. I am Doctor Cidolfus Demen Bunansa. Dr. Cid for short."

Aeranidya turned over and went to sleep. Cid left her alone for a while. She was an intriguing creature. And shockingly beautiful.


	4. Instincts

My Father's Viera

**Instincts**

Fran was not thrilled that the two of them were on their way to Archades. She did not think it was a good idea. She did not have a good feeling about this trip. She sensed that it was going to end badly. Why couldn't Balthier see things her way? Maybe it was one of those Hume things she'd never understand.

"We need to have a place to hide when things get bad." Balthier said again.

"Do you not think the Bunansa manor would be the first place they'd search for us?"

"My father has been dead for a few years now, ever since the Pharos. The place is abandoned."

"Or somebody else owns it now."

"It legally belongs to me. Myko and I are the last living members of the Bunansa family, at least until you bear another kit. The manor is my property."

The manor appeared deserted, as Balthier predicted. Fran wasn't sure. The place gave her the creeps. She had the feeling they were being watched. Balthier was looking through books.

Fran found a textbook about Viera that she decided would be interesting to look at. She wanted to see all the inaccurate information Humes had written in it. When she opened the book, a small photograph fluttered to the floor.

The Viera picked the picture up and looked at it. There were Cid and young Balthier, and at Cid's side was a Viera woman. Something seemed oddly familiar about that Viera, but Fran could not put her finger on it.

"Balthier? Who is this?" Fran asked, showing her partner the picture.

"The Viera? Her name was Aeranidya. Niddy, for short. She was an associate of my father's and she lived with us for several years. She came about three years after my mother died. She was the one who actually came up with the name Balthier. She said if she ever had a son that's what she'd name him. She used to tell me all kinds of things about Viera and the like. I didn't believe it to be much more than stories to entertain me, even though I know now that she was speaking the truth. I liked her, and she was very fond of me. She'd work with my father all day, and would come home with him at night and play with me." Balthier explained.

"What happened to her?"

"I don't know. She just disappeared one day. Soon after my father went mad. I would like to think she fled from him and escaped like I did but something tells me she wasn't so lucky. I still miss her sometimes. She was like a mother to me, and I think she rather loved my father. Maybe she was even in love with him. She told me she was from Eruyt Village too, so maybe you're related."

That clicked with Fran and she remembered. "I didn't know her well, I was just a kit, but Jote hated Aeranidya. All the Viera did because she was fascinated with Humes. I think my mother just got tired of her and sent her away, as lovely as that sounds." Then, Fran spotted movement and took off after it. There were several feminine cries and Balthier went after the Viera. Fran had wrestled a young woman to the ground. The girl was barely more than a teenager. Her hair was pure white, just like Fran's.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" The girl asked.

"Your house?! This place belongs to the Bunansas, and I am the last male member of the family! Who are you? Are you a Viera?" Balthier asked. The girl's ears, though more like Hume ears, where covered in a fine white fur.

"Half. My father was Cidolfus Bunansa; my mother was Aeranidya the Viera. My name is Marisa Kitt Bunansa. And I must assume you are Ffamran." The girl stated, her blue eyes glaring at Balthier fiercely.


	5. The Meeting

My Father's Viera

Aeranidya was rather interested in meeting Cid's son. She had no children of her own and not much experience with them. If she had stayed in the Wood, she probably would've either had kits or would've taken care of them. She hoped Ffamran liked her. If she was going to stay with Cid and his son, she hoped she would be liked. Nobody had ever liked her before, but Cid seemed different from other Humes. Hopefully he had raised his son well.

The boy came home from school excited. His father had told him he'd have a surprise for him later. Aeranidya had healed after staying at Draklor Laboratories for a while. A large number of tests had been done on her, just as a reason to keep her there until she had healed. It was interesting. Apparently, Viera had similar DNA to Humes. And they were possibly closely related enough to crossbreed with Humes, despite being the Wood's creation—made from the Wood's magicks altering simple fuzzy bunnies.

"Ffamran? Have you ever heard of Viera?" Cid asked. Aeranidya was hiding still. Cid would tell her when to show herself.

"We had a whole unit on the things. I have wanted to see if the stories are true. Maybe meet a live Viera someday." Ffamran said.

"Okay, you can show yourself now." Cid told the Viera. She stepped from the shadows. Ffamran got really excited.

"Wow! A real live Viera! Are we gonna keep her?"

"She's staying with us. She's studying to be a researcher. I found her half-dead and she has made a near full recovery. She's going to help take care of you."

"What's your name Viera?" Ffamran asked.

"Aeranidya. Call me Niddy if you'd like. And you must be Ffamran. Your father tells me so much about you. Apparently you're doing very well in school." Niddy replied happily.

"Do Viera have school?"

"We train our children ourselves. Viera and their kits have strong bonds."

"Lucky."

"Girl kits have to learn how to heal and raise kits and fight and protect the village, boy kits probably have to do the same, but I don't know since males live separately from the females."

"It said in school that Viera are hermaphrodites and they just look female."

"You can't believe what is in those textbooks. I've been reading some. I think your kind think that because usually only female Viera have been seen. There aren't very many males and they don't tend to leave the Wood. There have been only a few cases of a male leaving, but the Humes probably thought it was another female Viera. The males tend to look and sound like the females. Only one in twelve Vieran children is a male. And the males stay in their villages usually unless it's fall. Viera can only make kits in the fall. That's when the females are fertile." Niddy explained.

"You talk a lot. I like you. Wait 'til my teacher finds out how wrong the textbooks are!"

"I don't know about that. Humes haven't been very nice to me in the past. I might trust you, but not your teachers."

"I wouldn't let anybody hurt you! I'd make sure nobody was mean to you!"

"That's a nice offer, but I still don't think it's such a good idea. I'm gonna do all kinds of research, and someday I will be the one who rewrites the textbooks. Particularly the stuff about Viera. There is a lot that needs to be updated. I know my own race well enough to correct the textbooks. I will make sure Viera are done justice in the books!"


	6. Research

My Father's Viera

**Male rabbits are called bucks, and females are called does. That's the explanation for what Marisa says about Fran later on. I just felt that needed to be clarified.**

**Research**

Fran and Marisa didn't like each other from the moment they laid eyes on each other. To Fran, Marisa was nothing but a half-breed with an over-inflated ego. To Marisa, Fran was a Viera who meddled in affairs she had no business meddling in.

"Who the hell are you, even? You're just like the other Viera. I've met a few purebloods besides my mother. Most take one look at my ears and then start running their mouths about things they know nothing about. They usually eventually like me, and I'm sure you will too. At least they're nicer than the Humes." Marisa told Fran. The pure Viera began growling. Balthier got in between the two Viera. He wanted to talk to Marisa. How could he have never known about her? She was his half-sister after all.

"Marisa, I knew Aeranidya for years. I would've remembered if she was pregnant. Did my father create you using genetic samples or what?" Balthier asked.

"No. My father created me by artificially inseminating my mother with his own sample. No different than any other person born that way. Was there any time you didn't see Aeranidya for a long period of time?" The half-Viera explained.

"There was a time where she disappeared for about a year, and I thought she was gaining weight. That must've been it. I had no idea why she was gone for so long. Now I do. I just don't understand why I was never told about you, or never got to meet you."

"Our father got a bit paranoid when he started going crazy. He thought my presence would warp you. Make you think it was okay to marry Vieras. Obviously, you didn't need my help." 

Fran looked up from the book. She was very interested in the book, but that last remark had caught her attention. "We are not married!" The Viera hissed.

"Fran dear, there is no need for this kind of attitude. She never used to be like this, but ever since she had our daughter Myko… she's been really edgy." Balthier said.

Marisa nodded. "Yeah, I've seen that in Vieras. I study Viera extensively. I'm actually one of the foremost experts on Viera in Ivalice. I never usually meet anyone in person and I use a pseudonym for my writings. Nobody takes me seriously if I meet them in person. They seem to have an issue with my ears and everything. They know I'm not exactly a Viera, but I'm not a Hume either. It bothers people. Strangely enough, the pureblood Viera I use in my studies are generally considerably kinder to me than the Humes. Well, anyway, when a Viera has a kitten, she gets a lot of new instincts. The desire to mate in the fall becomes slightly stronger, usually. And the Viera gets the need to protect her loved ones, and that extends beyond protecting only her kits to sometimes the sisters or close friends. Fran here is just trying to protect you."

"You're an expert? That's almost amusing." Fran said.

"You don't need to act out. Viera does do have tempers, but they can control it. I know I'm a doe too. Even though I'm a virgin, I still am a female and I do have a temper."

"Fran, Marisa seems fairly harmless. And she's a Viera herself. I would think you'd like talking with her." Balthier told the Viera woman. Fran began reading the book again. She didn't need to overreact, but she wasn't sure how to act.


	7. Balthier

My Father's Viera

Aeranidya and Ffamran got along very well. She'd tell him all kinds of things about Vieras and about her travels.

Once, Ffamran had to miss school for a few days because he was very sick. Niddy decided to sit with him near his bed and comfort him.

"Won't you get sick too?" Ffamran asked.

"Viera are rather resistant to disease, so it is highly unlikely. Not impossible, but improbable." Niddy replied calmly.

"Niddy? What were your mom and dad like?"

"Well, I only knew my mother. Most Viera females don't know their fathers. Our brothers live with us for a few years, and then they go and live with the fathers in one of the male's villages. The males and females only meet to mate, and then they usually separate. Sometimes permanently. There aren't as many male Viera as there are female, so most males will go off and mate with seven or eight females a year. My mother was a salve-maker. That's kind of like somebody who makes potions and stuff. I'm the only kit she had managed to have, at least when I left. Maybe she had more after I had left. I don't know."

"What do boy Viera look like?"

"I've never actually seen them. I wasn't old enough to mate when I left, and there were no males in the village. Our females would go find them when it came time. My mother said that the males are sometimes very difficult to distinguish from the females."

"Why do the males live separately from the females?"

"Well, a long time ago Viera all lived together. It was rather difficult. Since there are so few males, females would claim them as soon as they could. And they were possessive of their mates. The men didn't like this. They were wired to mate with many different females. Most male Viera cannot commit to a single female, although there are some who can. So they left and started their own villages, only leaving to find females out in the Wood, and the women don't know exactly where the villages are. They do know the general area, but males tend to retreat into their villages once they've bred with a female.

Also, Viera are not supposed to mate for reasons other than to reproduce, unlike you Humes. Having a male around all the time would make some females mate with him repeatedly, just for fun."

"Do male Vieras ever mate with their own daughters, not realizing it?"

"Not that I know of. I think they can kind of sense it if it's their daughter or the Wood tells them or something. Now you're just being weird."

"Do you want to have Viera babies someday?"

"I don't think I ever will. Viera who leave the Wood aren't allowed to EVER go back. And male Viera usually don't leave… except for extremely rare one-in-a-million cases. And I don't know if Viera and Humes can produce offspring together. I'm planning on finding out, if I ever find either another Viera willing to cooperate, or a Hume man I like enough to attempt having a child with."

"Where did you get the name Aeranidya? It sounds so beautiful. My mother was the one who named me. I hate my name."

"The Wood named me, like most Viera. It means something to her. How about I call you by a Vieran male's name when we're alone together? According to my mother, it was her father's name. Balthier. Do you like that? If I ever had a son, that's what I would call him. Since you're like a son to me, I will call you Balthier if you want."

"It's better than Ffamran for sure."

Aeranidya took out some of her photographs to show Ffamran. She had never shown anybody else the pictures she had taken of the Viera. They were some of the few things she had kept for all those years. They were very old and had to be handled carefully.

Ffamran looked longest at a picture of Sylva and two other Viera. "This Viera seems real important. Is that your mother?"

"No. I do have a picture of my mother though. That is the leader, Sylva. She's really old, if she's even still alive. Probably not. Those other two Viera are her closest friends, Kjmi and Tyra. Tyra is a leader of another village, but she was visiting Sylva at that time, seeing our leader's new kit. This was over a hundred years ago. Maybe all three of these Viera have died by now. Tyra and Kjmi were about the same age as Sylva. Handle these photos with care. They're old and I don't want anything to happen to them. My camera broke years ago. I'd like a new one, so I can take pictures again."

"A hundred years ago? How were you around that long?"

"You don't know? Viera can live to be five hundred years old. I am one hundred and ninety-three years old this year."

"Most of the Viera look similar."

"We are usually almost always born with white hair and fur. Very rarely one with black hair and fur will be born. The normal Viera tend to shun them. I've only seen one once. A few years ago. She is much younger than me. Her mutation is so rare; she may be the only one alive at the time. Some of the meaner kits call her Nokvarle the Dire Viera. Truth is, she isn't really that different than the rest of us."

Aeranidya would work at Draklor during the day, and she was tired of the way the Humes besides Cid would stare at her, or make comments about her, or do things to her. If Cid caught somebody harassing her, he'd put a stop to it, but he only caught them rarely. Niddy usually didn't pay much attention to these people, unless they made a move to cause her harm. Once, one of the female scientists had tried to inject Niddy with something incredibly dangerous, only to find out Viera were immune. All that resulted in was her getting fired and Niddy taking her place.

Niddy was a brilliant Viera, and she helped on several projects. She was an asset to Draklor, but she just wanted to be left alone to work. It was good if Cid was around, but Niddy hated most other Humes. Why couldn't they look past the fact that she was a Viera and see her genius? They were only slightly worse than the other Viera in the way they treated her. Going home to Ffamran was all that kept her sane. 

Some of the projects at Draklor terrified the Viera. Anything involving high Mist levels would be projects she'd have to exclude herself from. She didn't care who wanted her to help. It would be very bad if she went into a Mist frenzy, and she didn't want that or worse to happen. Viera could die from extreme Mist levels. Even though the Humes wanted her to die, they didn't want an uncontrollable Viera in a Mist frenzy first. 

"I don't think the Viera should work on the nethicite project! She'll die, but she'll kill us all first." One of the scientists told Cid.

"I am not going to work on this project. It's wrong, and I'm a Viera. Two good reasons. I'm going home. Ffamran would probably like to see me."

"I hope you learn from Niddy one day. She's a smart Viera." Cid said.


	8. Distress

My Father's Viera

My Father's Viera

**Distress**

Marisa did not understand what Fran didn't like about her. She did understand that Fran was trying to defend Balthier in her own bizarre Viera way. She just didn't understand why. It wasn't possible that this Viera could've fallen in love with him, was it? Pure Viera generally did not love their mates. Her mother had told her that many times.

Marisa knew her parents certainly did not love each other. Her mother might have loved her father, but he did not return her feelings. Niddy certainly was a strange Viera who didn't practice what she preached. She'd be the type to love her mate. Marisa was created as part of an experiment, conceived by artificially inseminating a Viera's egg cell with Hume cells. There had been no physical relationship between her parents. Aeranidya had told Marisa that she often wished there had been more to the relationship. Marisa didn't really care how she had come into being. All she cared was how she lived, not how she came to live.

Now Fran and Balthier were a different story. Marisa was rather jealous. She believed she'd never fall in love. Or she'd be like her mother: in love but not loved. Humes and Viera tormented her about her ears and everything. She was neither Viera nor Hume. She didn't have long bunny ears like a Viera, but she also didn't have flat feet like a Hume.

"Marisa, who wrote this book?" Balthier asked, finding another book about Viera.

"That isn't a book; those are my mother's and my notes. When she died, I took over the Viera research. Even though I am young and only a half-breed, I know more about Viera than most purebloods know about themselves." Marisa explained. Balthier dropped the notebook upon hearing the news that his friend Niddy was dead.

"Your mother died?! I can't believe it… I always hoped that she had realized my father was insane and fled. Poor Niddy. How did she die?"

"How do you think? He killed her using the nethicite! I rather believe it was deliberate too. She desired to tell you of my existence. It pained her to know that you had a sister that you were never allowed to meet. She never thought it wrong. She never thought you'd be warped by my presence. In our father's deep insanity, he believed he was right, and he killed her. Right in front of me. Then he dissected her and sent what was left to the taxidermist."

"That stuffed Viera at the Academy wasn't Aeranidya! That Viera was there before Niddy disappeared."

"No. But now they have two stuffed Viera. Niddy's stuffed body was a gift from Dr. Cidolfus Demen Bunansa. The other Viera they keep out front, but my mother is only brought out when the classes do a unit on Viera." Marisa hissed. Fran actually put the book down and walked over to the half-Viera girl. Then she started making little purring noises. Marisa got very calm.

"Fran, stop that. I don't care how you feel about my sister; there is no excuse to be teasing her. I loved Aeranidya. She was my mother too. Although she was not my birth mother she loved me as her own and was everything a mother should be." Balthier said.

"You misunderstand. Those purrs are not taunts. Fran is comforting me like a Viera mother would comfort her kits. She has a kitten. Even if you hadn't told me that, I'd know it. First off, she's overprotective of you. And now this. Only a mother Viera would have these kinds of instincts. My mother used to comfort me in this way when I was upset. Did she never do the same for you?"

"Not really, at least before the time she disappeared for a year. She rarely did it anyhow and it was very calming. I always took it for something else, like maybe she was in heat or something. Fran makes those kinds of purrs when she's in heat."

"It's called being receptive. You have no need for vulgarity." Fran remarked.

"Same difference. Fertile Viera are fertile Viera."

"What is your kitten like, Fran? Is she a purebred Viera like you, or is she part Hume?"

"Myko is your niece." Balthier answered before Fran could say anything.

"Mother Wood! She's yours too? That's wonderful! Tell me, was she conceived naturally?"

"Yes. And seriously, do you need to ask that? Fran was receptive. She lost control of herself and I picked up her pheromones."

"Ah, yes. The pheromones in Viera sweat which they produce when 'receptive', as you put it. I don't understand why my mother died a virgin, considering that kind of thing. Humes tried, but she always got away before they could do anything to her. And considering the way I was created…"

"Let us end this conversation. It is inappropriate for a child your age to go any further than that." Fran said. She seemed to like Marisa a bit more, but it was clear she still didn't care for the half-Viera very much.

"I am not a child."

"You are. You pretend to be all grown up, but you are not. Viera do not mature as fast as Humes, and though you are a half-Viera, you are still but a child."

Marisa got depressed again. "There's another reason nobody takes me seriously." The half-Viera girl began scratching at her ears.

Fran backed away. "Do you have fleas too?"

"No. I most certainly do NOT have fleas, lice, or any other kinds of parasites like a wild animal, as you seem to believe I am. The ear scratching is a habit I've developed. Almost like a tic. I do it whenever I get upset. I am perfectly clean and parasite-free. My nurse makes sure of that. Would you like to meet her? She watched me while my mother was at work or at home. She has taken care of me since I was born."


	9. Depression

My Father's Viera

My Father's Viera

Aeranidya had only seen a few Viera in Archades, and most of them weren't as lucky as she was. She had a good home and a nice job. The only thing these Viera had was Humes. They were Viera of the streets. One of them had left the Wood with her child, and couldn't find any other way to take care of the kit than to sleep with Humes for gil. Niddy felt bad for the kit.

Ffamran was still very fascinated with the Viera woman. He kept Niddy sane. Things at Draklor were worse then ever. The Viera had nearly lost an eye from one of the Humes attacking her. They were aiming for her ears, but she was agile enough to dodge.

The Viera was resting, recovering from her rough day. Why couldn't Humes leave her alone? She hated herself for being fascinated with them, even though it was hardly something she could help. Niddy was physically and mentally drained.

Niddy had wanted to find out if Humes and Viera could produce children together for a while. It wasn't likely any of the Hume men would work with her, and even if somebody did manage to impregnate her, the way these people treated her they'd ensure she miscarried. And she didn't like these Humes, especially the males. Aside from Cid and Ffamran, she hated all Humes. They had no right to treat her like this! A half-Hume wouldn't like her either, even if she did happen to be the mother.

Cid found the Viera curled up on a couch, very upset and completely unable to rest. She was clearly trying to sleep, but couldn't get comfortable. Niddy was near the point of tears.

"Are you okay Aeranidya?" Cid asked, going and stroking the Viera's ears, trying to comfort her.

"Why does everyone hate me?"

"Humes tend to dislike things they know nothing about. I know very little about Viera, but I couldn't leave you how I had found you. And you have been nothing but wonderful. You've made me want to know more about Viera. Do not worry about the others. They're wrong, and maybe someday they'll realize that."

"Yeah, once they've killed me."

"I'll make sure they don't kill you. I think I need to pay closer attention to what goes on at Draklor. From now on, you'll be my personal assistant."

Niddy's ears twitched. "You mean it?"

"Of course."

"That would be splendid."

"Now go to Ffamran. He has been wondering why you weren't around to tell him Viera stories."

Niddy was calmed down quite a bit. And she couldn't believe she had forgotten to tell Ffamran some more of her stories!

The boy was excited to see Niddy. The Viera didn't know what to talk about tonight. Usually Ffamran would ask her something and she'd tell him everything she knew. During the time she had spent with him, they had discussed many things, and that included where little Viera came from.

"Are you upset, Niddy?" Ffamran asked.

"Not anymore." The Viera said.

"What happened today? Dad says you have problems at the lab, because nobody there likes Viera. I don't know why. Everybody loves Viera!"

"Ffamran, that isn't exactly true. Humes apparently don't like Viera at all. You're different, maybe because I'm practically raising you here."

"Niddy, dad likes you."

"I know. I like him too. I'm gonna be his assistant now. I hope it goes well." Niddy said. And quietly added. "And maybe, someday, I'll be your new mother."

"What was that?"

"Uh… nothing."


	10. Writings

My Father's Viera

My Father's Viera

**Writings**

Marisa's nurse was an older Hume woman Balthier had only met a few times. She had been around the few times Niddy was sick and couldn't be near him because nobody knew whether she could get him sick. Her name was Karen.

"It's wonderful you have returned. You know, Marisa has always wanted to meet you. I should've told you, but after poor Niddy… just the thought of disobeying your father still scares me." Karen told Balthier.

"I am not staying for good. Fran and I just came here for a while. We were going to make it our hideout, but since Marisa lives here…"

"What a lovely Viera you have. Niddy was a very pretty Viera herself. We always figured you'd end up with one, considering how you felt about Niddy. Perhaps Marisa will show her the photographs Niddy took. She has a few very old photographs of Viera. They are quite precious to Marisa since her mother took them."

"Niddy's camera. How Jote hated that blasted device!" Fran hissed.

"You knew Aeranidya?"

"Only for a very short time when I was a mere kitten. One of Kjmi's sisters was her mother. Kjmi was my mother Sylva's best friend."

"Sylva was your mother?!" Marisa yelped in surprise. "I have to show you the photographs!"

"There are photographs with my mother in them? I would like to see them sometime. I miss her."

"My mother once told me she had been told my great aunt Kjmi had a half-Hume half-brother, so I am not the first half-Hume. I don't think Mom believed that until she had me. She never knew whether or not Viera could have children with Humes until she became pregnant with me. My great uncle died a long time ago, since half-Humes don't live as long as pureblood Viera. It made me feel better to know that Viera and Humes have been having children for a long time. I'm not a one-of-a-kind freak."

"You're not a freak, you're a beautiful thing. You're a little piece of Niddy that I can visit anytime I want." Balthier said.

Fran went back to reading Niddy and Marisa's notes. It was difficult. Niddy wrote a lot in Sylvan, and even though it was her native tongue, Fran was beginning to forget quite a bit of it. She'd have to relearn it, she decided. She didn't want to forget everything about being a Viera. She was, like Niddy, a Hume's Viera.

_The male Viera, though quite rare, does exist. They look very similar to the females and are often mistaken for them. The hair is generally kept long, further confusing Humes, although a Viera can tell the difference instantly. The ratio of males is about one for every twelve females, which is the main reason most male Viera take many mates. Viera males are not as physically strong as their female counterparts and there aren't very many male wood-warders. Most male Viera are hunters, salve-makers, or healers. Only a very few are warriors, and they are the ones who tend to attract more of the females because strong Viera males sire strong kittens._

Fran was rather interested in this fact. She had very little experience with male Viera. She hadn't seen her own brother—yes, she had a brother—for many, many years. Delf had gone and lived with his father for two years until he had met and married a Viera woman from another village, and the last time Fran had seen him was when Sylva had died. Sylva was his mother too, even though he and Fran had a different father. Fran, Jote, and Mjrn were sired by the same warrior. Delf's father was a super-rare Vieran Blue Mage who had attracted Sylva, who hoped her kitten would inherit the ability. He didn't, at least that anybody knew of, but he was a good man anyhow.


End file.
